Encode & Decode URLs
encodeURI · Components · Full

Encode or decode URLs with 3 encoding methods, URL parser breakdown, and side-by-side method comparison.

URL / Text to Encode

Encoded Output

Why Use Our URL Encoder

Master URL encoding for web development

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Three Methods

encodeURIComponent, encodeURI, and full percent-encoding

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URL Parser

Break down any URL into protocol, host, path, and parameters

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Method Comparison

See all three encoding methods side by side for any input

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Decode Support

Reverse any percent-encoded URL back to readable text

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Query Parameters

Properly encode special characters for API endpoints

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Developer-First

Built by developers for common web development workflows

Complete Guide: How to Use the URL Encoder / Decoder

URL encoding (also called percent-encoding) replaces special characters with percent-sign sequences so they can be safely used in URLs. Our tool encodes and decodes URLs instantly, handling all special characters including Unicode. Essential for web developers working with query parameters, API calls, and internationalized URLs.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1
Select encode or decode mode
Choose 'Encode' to percent-encode a string for URL use, or 'Decode' to convert a percent-encoded URL back to readable text.
2
Enter your input
Paste the URL or string you want to process. For encoding, paste the raw text; for decoding, paste the percent-encoded URL.
3
View the result
The encoded/decoded output appears instantly. Special characters are converted to %XX format (or vice versa).
4
Copy and use
Copy the result to use in your code, API calls, or browser. The output is ready to use directly.

Common Use Cases

✓Encoding query parameters that contain special characters (&, =, ?, #)
✓Building API requests with user-generated content in URLs
✓Debugging percent-encoded URLs to see the actual values
✓Handling international (non-ASCII) characters in URLs
✓Encoding file paths with spaces for web servers
✓Creating safe redirect URLs with encoded return paths

Pro Tips

💡Spaces can be encoded as %20 or + (in form data). Our tool uses %20, which is correct for URLs.

💡Don't double-encode! If you see %2520 in a URL, it means the % sign was encoded twice.

💡Reserved characters like /, ?, and # have special meaning in URLs — only encode them in parameter values, not in the URL structure.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is URL encoding?

URL encoding (percent-encoding) replaces special characters with a '%' followed by their hex value. For example, a space becomes '%20'. This ensures URLs are safely transmitted over the internet.

When should I URL-encode text?

URL-encode text when including special characters in URL query parameters, form data, or API requests. Characters like spaces, &, =, and # must be encoded to avoid breaking URL structure.

What characters get encoded?

All characters except letters (A-Z, a-z), digits (0-9), and a few special characters (-, _, ., ~) are encoded. Common encoded characters: space → %20, & → %26, = → %3D.

Is URL encoding reversible?

Yes, URL encoding is fully reversible. You can always decode a URL-encoded string back to its original form using our decoder.

Encode & Decode URLsencodeURI · Components · Full